Tajik Security Service Acknowledges Removal of Afghan Nationals Amid Crime Allegations

Tajikistan’s main security agency has for the first time confirmed that a group of Afghan nationals was expelled from the country, saying the action followed investigations into alleged criminal behavior that officials say alarmed local communities. The announcement came after an Afghan man publicly questioned the whereabouts of his fellow countrymen; authorities said the migrants had been afforded opportunities to live, work and study but that some broke the law.

In a detailed list of alleged offenses, the committee pointed to a total of about 1,381 incidents it associated with foreign nationals, including Afghan citizens. Nearly one-half of those — roughly 670 — were described as drug-smuggling cases, while about 594 involved falsified paperwork used to secure refugee status. The agency also flagged 32 allegations of membership in violent groups, 15 cases of sexual crimes against underage victims, 45 instances tied to running gambling or entertainment operations, and 25 matters the service linked to attempts to unsettle public order. Officials did not say over what period the incidents occurred or how many of the charges applied specifically to people living in the Sughd region.

The security statement singled out a murder in Khujand at the end of April as a catalyst for public outrage. Authorities say an Afghan suspect was detained after a local woman was fatally stabbed, and that video material released by investigators included the suspect describing his motives and acknowledging the attack. The Interior Ministry announced the arrest shortly after the killing was reported.

Villagers in the Dehmoy area of Jabbor Rasulov district told reporters they watched Afghan neighbors vanish when vehicles collected an estimated 200 to 250 people on May 4; many had lived in the settlement for years. Until the security agency’s bulletin, state officials had not publicly admitted to large-scale removals, instead urging foreign residents to follow migration rules. Humanitarian groups have previously criticized Tajik moves to return Afghans. In December, the U.N. refugee agency asked Dushanbe to stop forced returns after at least 41 people were sent back without what the agency said was proper legal review.

The security body stressed that more than 10,000 Afghan households who obey local laws remain in Tajikistan and described the country as a long-term host for generations of Afghan families over the past three and a half decades. Yet it made clear that maintaining public safety is a top priority. A regional migration specialist said mass expulsions risk eroding trust between communities and authorities and could raise legal questions unless each case is reviewed individually.

Analysts say the episode highlights a fraught balance for Tajikistan: officials face pressure to respond to serious crime allegations while also meeting international obligations to people seeking refuge. Observers are now calling for clearer records and transparent legal procedures so that security steps do not come at the cost of due process.